Loose leaf binder



Oct. 27, 1931. ER 1,829,363

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Dec. 7, 1929 Ji /p? 12.4mm

n al Patented Oct. 27, 193i UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE t-ADOLEH GaLOTTER, OF MILXVAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB TO STATIONERS LOOSE LEAF (10., OFIIIILWAUK EE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN LOOSE LEAF BINDER Application filed December This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in bindersparticularly of the type used to protect important records such as kept by the offices of registers of deeds and which usually have a large body of leaves secured between cover members by posts passed through the leaves and detachably connected with the cover members. The over-all size and weight of binders of th1s general type makes them rather awkward and difficult to handle, especially in removing leaves from the binder, when it has been necessary to, with one hand, pull the opencover out of the way of the posts while the other hand is used to remove-the leaves.

This invention, therefore, contemplates as .one of its objects the provision of structural means whereby, when the post-securing means is released and. the cover swung open,

the cover will move free of the binding posts extending to a point close to the inner edge thereof whereby the binding cloth forming a portion ofthe flexible hinge between the back member and the cover is held close to the plate outer edge at all times so that the weight of the cover swings the back member away from the body of leaves as it is swung open and the binding post securing means is released.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the here-in-disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have il lustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which: i

er of the character described.

Serial No. 412,343.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the position assumed by the conventional type of binder of the character described when the cover is swung open and the binding post securing means unlocked;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the position assumed by the device of this application under simi ar conditions, and

Figure 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view taken on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 2 and having parts broken away and in section to illustrate structural details.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, 5 and 6 represent the cover members and 7 the back piece of a bind- The cover members are adapted to be flexibly connected with the side mar inal edges of the back piece by means of a flexible binding strip 8 secured to the inner surface of the backpiece and having its side marginal edge portions confined between the bottoms-of recesses 9 in the cover members, and metal plates 10.

The plates 10 project beyond the inner marginal edges of the cover members and are folded longitudinally, as at 11, and recessed, as at 12, to provide openings in which the adjacent ends 13 of binder posts 14: are received to be pivotally connected with the plates by locking means 15 of the general type illustrated in Letters Patent No. 1,718,544: issued Henry C. Miller the 21st day of May, 19:29.

An outer binding or covering 16 which may be leather or other suitable material cooper- .ates with the material '8 to form the hinges for the covers.

In binders of this character, it has been customary to glue the fabric 8 to the inturned portion 11 of the metal plate 10 so that the fold 17 thereof is at a point near the outer- .mostedge of the plate, but with the firstopening of the cover the fabric 8 becomes detached from the plate 10 so that the point of fhinging is virtually at the inner marginal edge of the cover. This .is undesirable for when the locking mechanlsm 15 1sanan1pulated to release the binder posts and the cover opened, the parts assume the positions illus 'trated' in Figure 1, due to the weight of the structure at both covers is identical the single 7 detail illustration. in Figure 3 is deemed sufli- 1 tion thereof necessitatesthat the operator grasp the topmost cover with one hand and force it to the left with reference to Figure 1, and with the other hand endeavor to remove the leaves, an extremely awkward operation andflfreoluentlyv resulting in tearing ofthe leaves; i

I This objectionable feature is overcome by providing a novel hinge structure between each cover and the back member, and as the cient for a proper disclosure of the invention, As here shown a metal plate or reinforcing member 19 is secured in the recess 9 of each (cover, between the adjacent portion'20 of the fabric 8 and; the bottom of the recess with its outer marginal edge extended beyond the cover and over the folded edge 11 of the plate 10 to hold the fabric 8 in engagement therewith, sorthat thepoint of pivotal connection between each cover'and'the'back piece is shown in Figure 2, in that the cover and the back member together formra lever the fulconnection with the accompanying drawing, Y a it will be readilyapparent to those skilled in nearer the inner edge of the fold 11. The reinforcing members 19 not only shift the line of effective hinge toward the inner end of the fold 11, but in doing so also limit the opening movement of the covers withrespect to the back member. 7 Hence when the book is open and the connection between the upper cover and the post members released,the hinge connection betweenthe upper cover and the back member, after the limit of relative movement between these elements is reached, serves to rigidly connect thesame so that the weight of the cover causes the back to assume the position illustrated in Figure 2 free of the binding post ends 13 permitting any one or all of the leaves to be removed with ease and facility. -Theweight of the cover is suflicient tion of leaves of large record binders without danger of tearing the same. I

What I claim as my invention is:

1Q'A loose leaf binder comprising a back member, a cover, a hinge plate secured to the cover, a binder post, means pivotally and removablyclonnecting the binder post with the hinge plate of the cover, flexible means connecting' the cover with theback member, and

a second plate cooperatingwith the hin e plateito'secure said flexible means longitu inally'along' the hinge plate at a point close to' the inner marginal edge-thereof and to limit movement of the cover in one direction with respect to the back member.

:2. A loose leaf binder comprising a pair of covers, a back member, a flexible covering for the back member extended therebeyond and secured to the cover-members to provide, a hinge connection therebetween, a plate member carried by each cover member, binder iosts, releasable means pivotally connecting the ends of the binder posts with the hinge plates of the cover members, and'a reinforcing plate confining said flexible connection between'it and the inner surface of each hinge plate and terminating close to the inner'end of said hinge plate, whereby thepoint of pivot of said cover with respect to the back member is such that the hinge plate is carried away from the binding post whenswung to open positionand the pivotalconnecting means released; g v a In a binder of the character described, havinga back and covershingedly connected therewith, postmembers, releasable means pivotally connecting the post members with the covers, andmeansfor limiting opening movement of the covers with respect to the back, whereby the weight of the uppermost cover in open positionand disconnected from the post members swings the back away from the post members to facilitate removal and insertion of leaves. i it In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature. i i f ADOLPH G. "LOTTER. r

to lift the leaves the slight distance incidental i to the movement of the back to the position crum of'which, being provided by the curved I portion of the back member, is near the weight to be lifted, namely the body of leaves, with the applied weight, whichis provided by the outer portion of the cover, spaced conthe art to which an invention of the character j described-appertains, that I provide novel Ineansfor facilitating the removal or inser- 

